Kowalski on WDFN: Lions should consider drafting Johnson

Despite how it will look to the public the Lions need to
consider taking Georgia Tech wide receiver Calvin Johnson with the No.
2 overall pick, according to Tom Kowalski on WDFN-AM Detroit. Yes, this
would be the fourth receiver they'd pick in the first
round in five years, but it is a position of need. They believe Mike Furrey is a No.
3 receiver, and they really need a talented speed-guy on the outside.

Q: Does LSU QB JaMarcus Russell interest the Lions?

A: I don't think they're looking at a quarterback. I thought
Brady Quinn would be the third guy off the board before the Sugar Bowl. If
Russell goes first, you know who No. 2 is? Calvin Johnson.

A: No they won't. I think they should consider Johnson, but
I don't think they will do that. It couldn't hurt Matt Millen's reputation any
more than it's already been damaged. What are they going to say, "This is a real
public relations nightmare now."

Q: Make Joe Cullen the head coach.

A: "There you go. You just topped it."

Furrey is a slot guy to them. The only reason he went to No. 2 was because
the other guys were screwing up so bad they didn't have much of a choice. They
want to sign him as a slot receiver. He wants to be paid No. 2 money. I think
they want Kevin Curtis, the Rams' receiver who has speed. As good as Furrey was, he
didn't scare anybody. They do need another receiver, but I don't think they take
one in the draft.

Q: Offensive line coach Larry Beightol is highly regarded, why did
they fire him if Mike Martz could leave?

A: He's highly-regarded, and I thought he did a great job,
too. I don't think Mike Martz is going to get a head coaching job. If he does, I
don't think they've ruled out bringing Beightol back. If it came down to Martz
or Beightol, Beightol was going to go. Marinelli's failing is not going to Martz and
telling them to work it out no matter what. You can't criticize him too much
because sometimes coaches have to make a hard decision to preserve the team.

I don't think Martz will get the Miami job, but he could get the Oakland job.
Why anybody would take that job is beyond me. He can hold on another year and
there will be more jobs. I think he would be foolish. They're looking for their
eighth coach in 13 years. If he does leave, they may bring Beightol back.
Everyone was shocked he was fired. If Martz does leave, maybe Beightol would
tell them to shove it, but if they want him back -- he's a coach. He knows how
this goes.

Q: Cullen was retained, Beightol was fired.

A: To everyone outside the organization, Joe Cullen is a
punchline. To Marinelli, he's a person with a problem. He's a young guy, and
Marinelli believes he can turn his life around. I know that's not the funny or
popular way to look at it, but it's what Marinelli believes.

Q: They didn't do that with Charles Rogers.

A: I disagree. I think they gave numerous opportunities to
contribute.

Q: Is Jeff Garcia going to get a starting NFL job because of how he's
played the past few weeks?

A: I think that would be a mistake. I think it's a perfect
storm for Garcia in Philadelphia. He came in with no expectations, he's
finally healthy, and he's paired with Marty Mornhinweg. Childress may be
thinking the same thing in Minnesota, but Mornhinweg is a great offensive
coordinator. Don't forget that Mornhinweg did a great job with the Lions'
offense despite little talent. It wasn't that long ago that he was cheered by
Philly fans for getting hurt. He's not a savior.

Q: Caller says there is no way they can't take a QB. There's nothing
available next year. Jon Kitna is not a good quarterback.

A: Brady Quinn may not be a Top 10 pick. I think he could
slide for awhile. Whether you argue Jon Kitna's ability, that's fine, the Lions
think he's the starter. If you draft a QB you have to keep four QBs on the
roster. They won't do that. I don't necessarily agree. If Calvin Johnson goes
No. 1, do you pass up JaMarcus Russell? I don't know if you do that.

Q: Caller defends Mike Furrey as a No. 2 receiver. How can they say
he's not a No. 2 with 98 catches and 1,000 yards in a crappy
offense?

A: For those 98 catches he averaged 11.1 yards per catch.
You have to go deep in that offense. They want someone on the other side of the
field who can make big plays. They didn't score a lot of points in this offense.
I'm telling you what they're thinking. He believes he needs more speed on the
outside. That's why I think they're going to go after Kevin Curtis.

Q: Why do they blame the receivers? Why not the quarterbacks? Look at
Jon Kitna's red zone ability? He struggled.

A: No question he struggled. I think the red zone is a
man-on-man talent issue. I think the Lions were exposed, especially up front.
They could not run the ball at all. Once you become one-dimensional in the red
zone you're done. You can throw all you want between the 20s, the red zone takes
precision. Jon Kitna hasn't been able to prove he can make amazing throws in the
red zone, you need the threat of the run. More than the QB play.

Q: Caller asks where immediate needs will be addressed: free agency
or draft?

A: I can't answer that. No one knows what free agents will
be out there. With the cap going up from $102 to $109-million, all teams will
have more money to spend. Teams won't allow big names to get away. A lot of
teams want to look at Cory Redding, but the Lions won't let him hit the
market.

I think they want to get a middle linebackers in free agency, but they may
have to rely on the draft. There are several young guys in the second and third
round who could play that position. Mississippi's Patrick Willis, Pittsburgh's H.B. Blades who is Bennie's kid.

If you're looking for depth, free agency can address that. If I have to
guess, I'd say offense will be addressed via free agency, and the defense would
be addressed via the draft.

Notes are paraphrased except where quoted. Killer also discusses the
NFL playoffs, but I didn't post notes on those topics. To listen to the full
interview, download the MP3 or subscribe to the podcast.